Eddie Howe was unhappy with Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo’s “really poor tackle” on Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon that forced him off with an injury in their Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Caicedo was shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Gordon just two minutes into the game, which was being played without VAR with the system only being used from the semi-finals onwards in the Carabao Cup.
Gordon was eventually forced off just seven minutes into the second half to add to Newcastle’s growing absentee list, with defender Emil Krafth also having to be taken off at half-time following a tackle by Levi Colwill.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Levi Colwill studs Emil Krafth’s shin and escapes a booking
Howe said in his post-match press conference following their exit after a penalty shootout: “Emil (Krafth) was too sore to continue – he’s got a nasty gash on his shin which is quite sore at the moment.
“Anthony’s (Gordon) the same. I thought it was a really poor tackle on him and the type of tackle you don’t want to see taking one of our attacking players out of the game, and again he’s very sore at the minute.”
Asked whether he Caicedo should have been sent off, Howe told Sky Sports: “I’m going on what other people’s opinions are and not mine – I haven’t seen it myself but people are telling me that they think it’s a red card.”
Redknapp and Carney disagree on yellow card decision
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from the Carabao Cup quarter-final match between Chelsea and Newcastle
There was disagreement in the Sky Sports studio over whether Caicedo should have seen red for the tackle on Gordon.
Jamie Redknapp believed referee Jarred Gillet was correct to caution the Ecuadorian, but Karen Carney felt he should have been sent off.
Redknapp said: “It’s a really stupid bad challenge. Two minutes into the game, it shouldn’t matter what minute of the game it is, but I think it’s a yellow. It’s not a good challenge, make no mistake.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Mykhailo Mudryk equalises in stoppage time from a loose Kieran Trippier back pass to send the match to penalties
“What I can’t understand is why you’d do something like that two minutes into the game. Look how far away from the ball he is, has he genuinely meant to hurt him? But it’s such a stupid challenge.”
Carney said: “That’s a red for me. It’s late. He’s nowhere near the ball. He goes down the back of his calf and as the game goes on, you see their best player go off injured.
“I don’t think he’s meant to hurt him. I think it’s just reckless from him, but at the end of the day that’s gone down the back of my calf, I’ve had to go off and I’m thinking I’m hurt there.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Benoit Badiashile makes a big error to gift Callum Wilson the opening goal for Newcastle
“For me that’s a red card, but we don’t have VAR, the referee’s let it move on, it’s not a red in his mind and you move on – that’s what the difference is.”
Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given told Sky Sports: “It’s two minutes in and that’s probably the only thing that’s maybe saved him.
“It’s the start of the game, we want entertaining football and 11 vs 11 on the pitch, but if we had VAR tonight I think when you see that freeze he’s going nowhere near the ball.
“He’s not even trying to play the ball and he’s raked his foot down the back of his leg – it’s a bad tackle.”
